Eating Disorders and the Narcissist

Eating Disorders and the Narcissist
By Sam Vaknin

Patients suffering from eating disorders binge on food and sometimes are both anorectic and bulimic. This is an impulsive behaviour as defined by the DSM (particularly in the case of BPD and to a lesser extent of Cluster B disorders in general). Some patients develop these disorders as a way to self-mutilate. It is a convergence of two pathological behaviours: self-mutilation and an impulsive (rather, compulsive or ritualistic) behaviour.

The key to improving the mental state of patients with dual diagnosis (a personality disorder plus an eating disorder) lies in concentrating upon their eating and sleeping disorders.

By controlling their eating disorders, patients assert control over their lives. This is bound to reduce their depression (even eliminate it altogether as a constant feature of their mental life). This is likely to ameliorate other facets of their personality disorders. Here is the chain: controlling one's eating disorders controlling one's life enhanced sense of self-worth, self-confidence, self-esteem a challenge, an interest, an enemy to subjugate a feeling of strength socialising feeling better.

When a patient has a personality disorder and an eating disorder, the therapist should concentrate on the eating disorder. Personality disorders are intricate and intractable. They are rarely curable (though certain aspects, like OCD, or depression can be ameliorated with medication). Their treatment calls for the enormous, persistent and continuous investment of resources of every kind by everyone involved. From the patient's point of view, the treatment of her personality disorder is not an efficient allocation of scarce mental resources. Also personality disorders are not the real threat. If a patient with a personality disorder is cured of it but her eating disorders are aggravated, she might die (though mentally healthy)

An eating disorder is both a signal of distress (I wish to die, I feel so bad, somebody help me) and a message: I think I lost control. I am very afraid of losing control. I will control my food intake and discharge. This way I control at least ONE aspect of my life.

This is where we can and should begin to help the patient. Help him to regain control. The family or other supporting figures must think what they can do to make the patient feel that he is in control, that he manages things his own way, that he is contributing, has his own schedules, his own agenda, matter.

Eating disorders indicate the strong combined activity of an underlying sense of lack of personal autonomy and an underlying sense of lack of self-control. The patient feels inordinately, paralysingly helpless and ineffective. His eating disorders are an effort to exert and reassert mastery over his own life. At this stage, he is unable to differentiate his own feelings and needs from those of others. His cognitive and perceptual distortions (for instance, regarding body image somatoform disorders) only increase his feeling of personal ineffectiveness and his need to exercise even more self-control (on his diet, the only thing left).

The patient does not trust himself in the slightest. He is his worst enemy, a mortal enemy, and he knows it. Therefore, any efforts to collaborate with HIM against his disorder are perceived as collaboration with his worst enemy against his only mode of controlling his life to some extent.

The patient views the world in terms of black and white, of absolutes. So, he cannot let go even to a very small degree. He is HORRIFIED constantly. This is why he finds it impossible to form relationships: he mistrusts (himself and by extension others), he does not want to become an adult, he does not enjoy sex or love (which both entail a modicum of loss of control). All this leads to a chronic absence of self-esteem. These patients like their disorder. Their eating disorder is their only achievement. Otherwise they are ashamed of themselves and disgusted by their shortcomings (expressed through shame and disgust directed at their bodies).

There is a chance to cure the patient of his eating disorders (though the dual diagnosis of eating disorder and personality disorder has a poor prognosis). This and ONLY this must be done at the first stage. The patient's family should consider therapy AND support groups (Overeaters Anonymous). Recovery prognosis is good after 2 years of treatment and support. The family must be heavily involved in the therapeutic process. Family dynamics usually contribute to the development of such disorders.

Medication, cognitive or behavioural therapy, psychodynamic therapy and family therapy ought to do it.

The change in the patient IF the treatment of his eating disorders is successful is VERY MARKED. His major depression disappears together with his sleeping disorders. He becomes socially active again and gets a life. His personality disorder might make it difficult for him but, in isolation, without the exacerbating circumstances of his other disorders, he finds it much easier to cope with.

Patients with eating disorders may be in mortal danger. Their behaviour is ruining their bodies relentlessly and inexorably. They might attempt suicide. They might do drugs. It is only a question of time. Our goal is to buy them time. The older they get, the more experienced they become, the more their body chemistry changes with age the better their prognosis.

About The Author

Sam Vaknin is the author of Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited and After the Rain - How the West Lost the East. He is a columnist for Central Europe Review, PopMatters, and eBookWeb , a United Press International (UPI) Senior Business Correspondent, and the editor of mental health and Central East Europe categories in The Open Directory Bellaonline, and Suite101 .

Until recently, he served as the Economic Advisor to the Government of Macedonia.

Visit Sam's Web site at http://samvak.tripod.com; palma@unet.com.mk

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Excessive Exercise and Eating Disorders

Excessive Exercise and Eating Disorders
By Jim O'Neill

In our society, the perceived perfect image of women falls right in line with the slenderness of girls 10 to 12 years old. This unrealistic perception spawned by the supermodels seen today in ads for popular clothing and undergarment makers such as Victoria's secret has caused many women to become obsessed with their own images.

In our society, women are ten times more likely to develop eating disorders and compulsive exercise habits that can be life threatening and often do prove to be fatal. Here are the most commonly developed eating disorders:

Anorexia nervosa is a life threatening disorder that occurs when you eat very little food and become obsessed about your weight even when you are badly underweight. An anorexic person will often see themselves as being fat when they look at themselves in the mirror even though they appear very skinny to everyone else. People with this disorder often turn to laxatives and various diet aids such as fat burning pills to bring their weight down to dangerous levels.

Bulimia is a disorder that occurs when you go on an eating binge, and then immediately purge it all out. You will eat a large amount of food, even junk food, and then get it all back out of your system by both self-induced vomiting and laxative use. This practice may throw off your body's mineral balance in the blood and put the health of your heart at risk.

Compulsive overeating followed by compulsive over exercising is a pattern that is not as dangerous as anorexia and bulimia but still can lead to both physical and psychological problems. This is a pattern in which you will eat a large amount of food followed up immediately by exercising excessively hard and for a long period of time.

It is estimated that more than one out of three collage female athletes may at one time develop an eating disorder. If you suffer from an eating disorder, seek medical help as soon as possible because if left untreated, these disorders can cause permanent health problems and even death.

Jim O'Neill gives you tons of valuable information on the subjects of weight loss, fitness, and nutrition to make it easy for you to live a healthy lifestyle. Sign up now for his free 7 part mini e-course at: http://www.mrgymfitness.com/minicourse.php

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Eating Disorders Bulimia Nervosa Effects

Eating Disorders - Bulimia Nervosa Effects
By Michael Russell

In this second article on Bulimia Nervosa we're going to go over the effects the disease can have on the body and how to treat it.

Bulimia nervosa can have devastating effects on a person's body if the disease goes unchecked for a long period of time.

The most serious of these is electrolyte imbalances which are caused by the constant bingeing and purging. These imbalances can lead to irregular heartbeat. If the problem goes on long enough this can lead to heart failure and death. The actual cause of the electrolyte imbalance is because of loss of potassium and sodium from the body and dehydration because of the constant purging.

Another serious problem is caused by the frequent vomiting. That problem is inflammation of the esophagus, which at best can cause difficulty in breathing and at worst possible rupture.

Another problem people with Bulimia Nervosa suffer from, while maybe not as serious as the ones mentioned already, is tooth decay from the frequent vomiting. This decay can eventually lead to tooth loss. While that may not sound all that terrible, it has been shown in studies that people who have their own teeth live longer than people who wear dentures. So this is something to be concerned about.

Because of the constant laxative use a person suffering from this disease will eventually have infrequent and irregular bowel movements and most likely end up suffering from chronic constipation. This can cause more serious problems down the road if this condition persists for any length of time.

And finally there is the possibility of gastric rupture because of the binge eating. This particular problem is very rare, even in the worst cases of Bulimia Nervosa, but nevertheless the possibility still exists, especially if the disease goes untreated for any length of time.

And now, some facts and statistics about the disease itself.

Bulimia Nervosa affects between 1 and 2% of all teenage or young women. The reason for this is mostly psychological because girls at this age are very self conscious about their looks and when they develop this irrational fear that they are too heavy, resulting in a poor social life and low esteem, they are likely to fall pray to this disease because of those fears.

About 80% of all patients suffering from this disease are female. Again, this all goes back to society, especially TV commercials, convincing young women that they have to be skinny as rails and look like fashion models if they are going to be accepted.

The truth is, the majority of people who suffer from this disease will appear to be of average body weight and will not at all appear to be fat.

Oddly, many people with Bulimia Nervosa do recognize that they have a problem. They know that the habits they have picked up of bingeing and purging are not normal. Yet they are unable to stop themselves, much like a person who knows smoking is harmful but can't quit.

Psychiatrists have determined that the onset of the disease is usually associated with depression, which is usually brought on by the person feeling inadequate as far as his or her appearance.

In our last article on this subject we'll go over how a person with Bulimia Nervosa is treated.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Eating Disorders

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Eating Disorders Bulimia Nervosa Treatment

Eating Disorders - Bulimia Nervosa Treatment
By Michael Russell

In this article we're going to cover treatments for Bulimia Nervosa. These treatments actually apply to most eating disorders as they are more or less caused by the same emotional problems.

While eating disorders stem from emotional issues in a person's life they are nevertheless still serious health conditions that can do great physical harm to the person as well as the emotional harm that has come before it and will continue long after. Early diagnosis gives a person suffering from an eating disorder a better chance for recovery. Eating disorders can become chronic, debilitating, and even life-threatening. Early treatment is critical.

The only really effective and long lasting treatment for an eating disorder like Bulimia Nervosa is some kind of psychotherapy or counseling. This along with attention to both medical and nutritional treatments proves effective in getting a person through this terrible disease. Of course the treatment is going to vary from individual to individual because of the emotional nature of the disease and the severity to which each person is suffering.

Treatment usually involves some form of psychological counseling where the therapist must not only address the eating disorder itself but the underlying reasons for why the person is behaving in this manner. This behavior is usually caused by psychological, interpersonal, and cultural influences and forces. Peer pressure is one of the most common causes of this kind of behavior; the feeling that one has to be thin to fit in with the crowd. That is why this disease targets mostly young girls. The person performing the actual counseling can be a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, nutritionist or even a primary care physician. However in extreme cases a psychiatrist will most likely be needed. Whoever does provide the care should be experienced with treating eating disorders or greater harm than good can be done.

Nutritional counseling is also needed to make sure that the person suffering from this disease is getting a well balanced diet and that the person's progress is monitored such as weekly weighing. Charts should be kept to make sure the person does not backslide.

Many people with eating disorders respond very well to outpatient therapy where they are allowed to go home after each session. This gives them a feeling of security being in a home environment for most of their treatment. Of course with this type of program it is important that the family carefully monitor the person while they are at home to make sure there is no bingeing and purging. Knowing what to look out for now, this becomes a lot easier.

However, in extreme cases inpatient therapy is required. This is usually necessary when the person is in the later stages of the disease and is already showing serious physical symptoms that are on the verge of becoming life threatening or when the psychological factor has become so strong that the person can no longer rationally function in a home environment. Inpatient therapy usually needs to be followed by a period of outpatient therapy as well until the person is able to function on their own.

Just like with alcoholism and drug addiction there is no cure. It is a daily battle fighting an eating disorder like Bulimia Nervosa. But with early detection and proper care and person can go on to lead a normal and healthy life.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Eating Disorders

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Eating Disorders: Facts About Eating Disorders and the Search for Solutions

Eating Disorders: Facts About Eating Disorders and the Search for Solutions
By Arthur Buchanan

Eating is controlled by many factors, including appetite, food availability, family, peer, and cultural practices. Attempts at voluntary control. Dieting to a body weight leaner than needed for health is highly promoted by current fashion trends, sales campaigns for special foods, and in some activities and professions.

Eating disorders involve serious disturbances in eating behavior, such as extreme and unhealthy reduction of food intake or severe overeating, as well as feelings of distress or extreme concern about body shape or weight. Researchers are investigating how and why initially voluntary behaviors, such as eating smaller or larger amounts of food than usual, at some point move beyond control in some people and develop into an eating disorder.

Studies on the basic biology of appetite control and its alteration by prolonged overeating or starvation have uncovered enormous complexity, but in the long run have the potential to lead to new pharmacologic treatments for eating disorders.

Eating disorders are not due to a failure of will or behavior; rather, they are real, treatable medical illnesses in which certain maladaptive patterns of eating take on a life of their own. The main types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

A third type, binge-eating disorder, has been suggested but has not yet been approved as a formal psychiatric diagnosis. Eating disorders frequently develop during adolescence or early adulthood, but some reports indicate their onset can occur during childhood or later in adulthood.

Eating disorders frequently co-occur with other psychiatric disorders such as depression, substance abuse, and anxiety disorders. In addition, people who suffer from eating disorders can experience a wide range of physical health complications. Including serious heart conditions and kidney failure which may lead to death. Recognition of eating disorders as real and treatable diseases, therefore, is critically important.

Females are much more likely than males to develop an eating disorder. Only an estimated 5 to 15 percent of people with anorexia or bulimia and an estimated 35 percent of those with binge-eating disorder are male.

Anorexia Nervosa

An estimated 0.5 to 3.7 percent of females suffer from anorexia nervosa in their lifetime. Symptoms of anorexia nervosa include:

Resistance to maintaining body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height.

Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though underweight.

Disturbance in the way in which one's body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight.

Infrequent or absent menstrual periods (in females who have reached puberty)

People with this disorder see themselves as overweight even though they are dangerously thin. The process of eating becomes an obsession. Unusual eating habits develop, such as avoiding food and meals, picking out a few foods and eating these in small quantities, or carefully weighing and portioning food. People with anorexia may repeatedly check their body weight.

Many engage in other techniques to control their weight, such as intense and compulsive exercise, or purging by means of vomiting and abuse of laxatives, enemas, and diuretics. Girls with anorexia often experience a delayed onset of their first menstrual period.

The course and outcome of anorexia nervosa vary across individuals: some fully recover after a single episode; some have a fluctuating pattern of weight gain and relapse; and others experience a chronically deteriorating course of illness over many years.

The mortality rate among people with anorexia has been estimated at 0.56 percent per year, or approximately 5.6 percent per decade, which is about 12 times higher than the annual death rate due to all causes of death among females ages 15-24 in the general population. The most common causes of death are complications of the disorder, such as cardiac arrest or electrolyte imbalance, and suicide.

Bulimia Nervosa

An estimated 1.1 percent to 4.2 percent of females have bulimia nervosa in their lifetime. Symptoms of bulimia nervosa include:

Recurrent episodes of binge eating, characterized by eating an excessive amount of food within a discrete period of time and by a sense of lack of control over eating during the episode Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behavior in order to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting or misuse of laxatives, diuretics, enemas, or other medications (purging); fasting; or excessive exercise.

The binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviors both occur, on average, at least twice a week for 3 months Self-evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape and weight Because purging or other compensatory behavior follows the binge-eating episodes, people with bulimia usually weigh within the normal range for their age and height.

However, like individuals with anorexia, they may fear gaining weight, desire to lose weight, and feel intensely dissatisfied with their bodies. People with bulimia often perform the behaviors in secrecy, feeling disgusted and ashamed when they binge, yet relieved once they purge.

Binge-Eating Disorder

Community surveys have estimated that between 2 percent and 5 percent of Americans experience binge-eating disorder in a 6-month period. Symptoms of binge-eating disorder include:

Recurrent episodes of binge eating, characterized by eating an excessive amount of food within a discrete period of time and by a sense of lack of control over eating during the episode. The binge-eating episodes are associated with at least 3 of the following: eating much more rapidly than normal; eating until feeling uncomfortably full.

Eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry; eating alone because of being embarrassed by how much one is eating; feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed, or very guilty after overeating Marked distress about the binge-eating behavior.

The binge eating occurs, on average, at least 2 days a week for 6 months

The binge eating is not associated with the regular use of inappropriate compensatory behaviors (e.g., purging, fasting, excessive exercise)

People with binge-eating disorder experience frequent episodes of out-of-control eating, with the same binge-eating symptoms as those with bulimia. The main difference is that individuals with binge-eating disorder do not purge their bodies of excess calories. Therefore, many with the disorder are overweight for their age and height. Feelings of self-disgust and shame associated with this illness can lead to bingeing again, creating a cycle of binge eating.

Treatment Strategies

Eating disorders can be treated and a healthy weight restored. The sooner these disorders are diagnosed and treated, the better the outcomes are likely to be. Because of their complexity, eating disorders require a comprehensive treatment plan involving medical care and monitoring, psychosocial interventions, nutritional counseling and, when appropriate, medication management. At the time of diagnosis, the clinician must determine whether the person is in immediate danger and requires hospitalization.

Treatment of anorexia calls for a specific program that involves three main phases: (1) restoring weight lost to severe dieting and purging;

(2) treating psychological disturbances such as distortion of body image, low self-esteem, and interpersonal conflicts; and

(3) achieving long-term remission and rehabilitation, or full recovery. Early diagnosis and treatment increases the treatment success rate. Use of psychotropic medication in people with anorexia should be considered only after weight gain has been established.

Certain selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been shown to be helpful for weight maintenance and for resolving mood and anxiety symptoms associated with anorexia.

The acute management of severe weight loss is usually provided in an inpatient hospital setting, where feeding plans address the person's medical and nutritional needs. In some cases, intravenous feeding is recommended.

Once malnutrition has been corrected and weight gain has begun, psychotherapy (often cognitive-behavioral or interpersonal psychotherapy) can help people with anorexia overcome low self-esteem and address distorted thought and behavior patterns. Families are sometimes included in the therapeutic process.

The primary goal of treatment for bulimia is to reduce or eliminate binge eating and purging behavior. To this end, nutritional rehabilitation, psychosocial intervention, and medication management strategies are often employed.

Establishment of a pattern of regular, non-binge meals, improvement of attitudes related to the eating disorder, encouragement of healthy but not excessive exercise, and resolution of co-occurring conditions such as mood or anxiety disorders are among the specific aims of these strategies.

Individual psychotherapy (especially cognitive-behavioral or interpersonal psychotherapy), group psychotherapy that uses a cognitive-behavioral approach, and family or marital therapy have been reported to be effective.

Psychotropic medications, primarily antidepressants such as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), have been found helpful for people with bulimia, particularly those with significant symptoms of depression or anxiety, or those who have not responded adequately to psychosocial treatment alone.

These medications also may help prevent relapse. The treatment goals and strategies for binge-eating disorder are similar to those for bulimia, and studies are currently evaluating the effectiveness of various interventions.

People with eating disorders often do not recognize or admit that they are ill. As a result, they may strongly resist getting and staying in treatment. Family members or other trusted individuals can be helpful in ensuring that the person with an eating disorder receives needed care and rehabilitation. For some people, treatment may be long term.

Research Findings and Directions

Research is contributing to advances in the understanding and treatment of eating disorders.

With Much Love,

Arthur Buchanan
President/CEO
Out of Darkness & Into the Light
43 Oakwood Ave. Suite 1012
Huron Ohio, 44839
567-219-0994 (cell)
http://www.out-of-darkness.com

They are calling Arthur Buchanan's methods of recovering from mental illness REVOLUTIONARY! (MEDICAL COLLEGE OF MICHIGAN) 'Arthur Buchanan has given us a revolutionary blue print for recovery in these uncertain times, when Mental Illness at a all time high in the United States of America, yet if you follow this young mans methods, we assure you of positive results and I QUOTE 'If these methods are followed precisely, their is no way you can't see positive results with whatever illness you have' -Dr. Herbert Palos Detroit, Michigan

Listen to Arthur Buchanan on the Mike Litman Show!
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THIS LINK WORKS, LISTEN TODAY!

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Identifying and Treating Sleep Disorders May Speed Recovery in Patients with Mild Brain Injuries

Identifying and Treating Sleep Disorders May Speed Recovery in Patients with Mild Brain Injuries
By Tara Pingle

A recent study, published in Neurology, found that mild brain injury may increase your likelihood of developing circadian rhythm sleep disorder (CRSD). CRSD is often misdiagnosed as insomnia, and therefore treated ineffectively. Liat Ayalon, PhD, authored of the study, says that, as many as 40% to 65% of people with mild traumatic brain injury complain of insomnia. Sleeping problems can make brain injury symptoms worse, and CRSD is often associated with cognitive and psychological problems. Treating CRSD may improve brain injury symptoms, as well.

Circadian rhythm sleep disorder (CRSD)
CRSD is a sleep cycle disorder and causes problems with the timing of your sleep. If you have CRSD, your body is not in sync with the demands of your environment. For most people society demands that they are up and working during the day, and sleep at night, with one, roughly eight-hour sleep period. With CRSD your body refuses to comply with this schedule. The timing of your sleep is determined by the release of certain hormones which govern sleeping and wakefulness. CRSD means that the timing or volume of the release of these hormones is in conflict with your actual schedule. If you cannot change your bodys natural sleep cycle or change your schedule to accommodate, you may develop problems such asInsomnia
Lack of energy during the day
Irritability
Difficulty thinking and concentrating
Headaches
Gastrointestinal problems


Over time CRSD can lead to more serious problems including:
Difficulty learning
Hyperactivity
Depression
Addiction
Anti-social personality

Delayed sleep phasePeople with delayed sleep phase are often referred to as night owls. Sleep hormones are not released until late at night or even very early morning, and continue to be produced for the normal amount of time, making it difficult to wake up in the morning and often interfering with alertness during the day. You may experience increased alertness in the evening or a second wind. If you have delayed sleep phase CRSD, and do not have any other sleep disorders, you can get good sleep and adequate rest by simply going to bed later and getting up later.

Advanced sleep phase
The opposite of delayed sleep phase CRSD, you become sleepy in the afternoon or early evening, and wake up in the very early morning. Like delayed sleep phase, if you have no other sleep disorders, you can get good sleep and adequate rest by adjusting your schedule going to bed early and rising early.

Non-24 hour sleep cycle
Your sleep cycle does not match a 24-hour day and is constantly shifting. This is very common in blind people because cycles of light and dark help regulate your sleep cycle.

Irregular Sleep/Wake Cycle
Your sleep cycle occurs at irregular times and often more than once a day. This can mean only brief periods of sleep at night, and extreme sleepiness during the day.

Circadian amplitude disorder
Basically your body doesnt produce big enough doses of waking and sleeping hormones so you get poor quality sleep and/or never feel completely awake and energetic during the day.

CRSD versus insomnia
Insomnia is the inability to go to sleep or the inability to remain asleep. It can be a side effect of CRSD or can occur for other reasons. More importantly, insomnia treatment normally means taking sleeping pills. Sleeping pills do not address the release of sleep hormones and are not helpful for people with CRSD.

Properly identifying and treating CRSD may directly improve the symptoms of mild brain injury, and indirectly can speed up healing and improve quality and enjoyment of life.

To learn more about brain injuries, click here.

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Eating Disorders Bulimia Nervosa Signs

Eating Disorders - Bulimia Nervosa Signs
By Michael Russell

This is probably a very timely article with famous actress and singer Lindsay Lohan having just revealed that she suffers from the terrible eating disorder, Bulimia Nervosa. In this article we're doing to cover the basic characteristics of the disease.

Bulimia Nervosa is a serious and possibly life threatening disease. It is characterized by binge eating and behaviors to compensate for the binges such as induced vomiting. Bulimia Nervosa has three primary symptoms.

1. Regular eating of food in large quantities which is accompanied by a sense of loss of control over one's eating behavior.

2. Regular use of compensating behavior such as induced vomiting, or use of laxatives, diuretic abuse, fasting, and obsessive or compulsive exercise.

3. Extreme worry over body weight and shape.

Specialists have concluded beyond doubt that the chance of recovering from this horrible disease is directly proportional to how soon the disease is discovered and treated. Therefore it is important to be on the lookout for the warning signs of when someone might be suffering from this disease.

These are the warning signs of someone suffering from Bulimia Nervosa.

a. The disappearance of food from the fridge in a very short period of time. This is usually the first sign of binge eating. Also if you happen to find many wrappers or containers in the trash this is another sign of binge eating.

b. Evidence of purging behaviors, such as if the person makes frequent trips to the bathroom after meals or if there are signs, such as smells, of vomiting. Also check for packages of laxatives.

c. A rigid routine of exercise regardless of weather or how tired the person may be.

d. Unusual swelling of the area around the cheeks or jaw.

e. Also check for calluses on the back of hands or knuckles from induced vomiting.

f. Also check to see if the teeth are stained or discolored.

g. Creation of a very rigid routine in order to make time for bingeing and purging.

h. A person suffering from this disease will usually withdraw from society, especially from friends.

i. In general look for signs that weight loss, dieting and control of food intake has become an obsessive point in the person's life.

Bulimia Nervosa can be very harmful to a person's body. The cycle of bingeing and purging can take its toll on the digestive system and can drastically alter how it functions, even to the point of the system being unable to function properly on its own where the person can no longer keep food down. This can lead to terrible chemical imbalances in the body and in turn affect many of the major organ functions, including and especially the heart, which can only take so much stress from the bingeing and purging until eventually it can totally give out.

In our next article we will cover the consequences of Bulimia Nervosa and how to deal with them. We'll also discuss how to psychologically deal with a person who is suffering from this terrible disease.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Eating Disorders

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Preventing Eating Disorders in Children

Preventing Eating Disorders in Children
By Rachelle Arlin Credo

When your child starts exhibiting changes in his/her emotional well-being particularly related to his/her body image, he/she is undergoing bodily changes that may become a problem later on if not taken cared of early in life. Dr. Susan Mendelsohn, a clinical psychologist from Florida suggests the following activities to assist you in giving your child positive reinforcement.

1. Educate your child about the genetic differences in body types and the nature of prejudice.

2. Avoid placing judgments upon people who do not meet your standards for beauty. Refrain from giving critical comments like, Youll look more beautiful if you lose some pounds, or Don't eat so much. It will make you fat.

3. Discuss with your child the dangers of trying to alter body shape through dieting. Emphasize the value of choosing the right kinds of food and moderate exercise for stamina and cardiovascular fitness.

4. Avoid labeling foods as good or ad and low-fat or fattening.

5. Be a good role model in regard to sensible eating, sensible exercising and self-acceptance.

6. Help your child develop appreciation for others - especially women - for who they are and what they do and not for what they look like or how they dress up.

7. Do not limit your child's caloric intake unless a physician has instructed you to do so. Children need a variety of foods including fats, protein and carbohydrates for their growth and body maintenance.

8. Allow your child to be active and to enjoy what they do and feel. Encourage them to exercise for their health rather than their weight.

9. Give boys and girls the same encouragement and opportunities. Make sure their household responsibilities are divided evenly without establishing stereotypical rules for male or female activities.

10. Promote your child's self-esteem and self-respect in every aspect of their being, including intellectual, athletic and social endeavors.

Following this list of guidelines will not only help solve your child's eating disorder but will also help you have a closer and more intimate relationship with your child.

2005 Rachelle Arlin Credo. All rights reserved.

Rachelle Arlin Credo is a freelance writer and web columnist from the Philippines. She writes on a variety of topics for print and online publications. Feel free to check her website at http://www.rachelle.co.nr

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Eating Disorders Are An Unsafe Way To Be Thin

Eating Disorders Are An Unsafe Way To Be Thin
By Michael Russell

The two most common types of eating disorders are anorexia and bulimia. These two disorders have similar characteristics so they can be hard to set apart from each other. A person will have a unclear image of his or her body with both and the person will appear to be fixated with what he or she eats.

Girls tend to be affected more than guys with both anorexia and bulimia. Guys are more likely to concentrate on athletic appearance with an eating disorder. People with anorexia have a strong concern of being overweight. The sufferer barely eats at all when she has anorexia and the little quantity of food that is eaten becomes a fixation. Weighing food before eating it or impulsively counting the calories of food is a symptom of anorexia. Exercising exceptionally in an effort to lose weight is also signs of someone having anorexia. A person with anorexia has a strong longing to be very thin they don't see themselves as thin even though they are losing weight dramatically. They actually see a fat person when they look in the mirror.

People with Bulimia don't avoid eating. They eat a big quantity of food then get rid of it fast by vomiting. This is normally known as inge and purge behavior. Bulimia often affect girls more than guys. Someone with bulimia may appear average in size, so it's difficult to detect if they have this disorder based on their appearance alone.

When a young lady goes through puberty, her body changes and it can make anyone feel a bit out of control. People with eating disorders feel as though they can recover a little bit of control by doing unhealthy things to their body. Some people react to this change by becoming very afraid of their new weight and feel forced to get rid of it any way they can. Young woman feel pressure to be like skinny role models and teen celebrities, it's not difficult to see why some teens develop a distorted body image.

Eating disorders might run in families. Our parents influence our beliefs, including those concerning food. There also is a suggestion that there may be a genetic part to having an eating disorders. An eating disorder does much more damage than good. People who weigh at least 15% less than the normal weight for their height may not have sufficient body fat to maintain healthy organs. A person with anorexia can do harm to the heart, liver and kidneys by not taking in enough food.

The emotional hurt of an eating disorder can take its toll, too. When a person becomes preoccupied with weight, it's hard to focus on anything else. A lot of times people with eating disorders become withdrawn. Try talking to a teacher, a neighbor, or another trusted adult if you need to someone to talk to about this. An eating disorder is common among teens and there is treatment for you.

Michael RussellYour Independent guide to Eating Disorders

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Eating Disorders And How To Treat Them

Eating Disorders And How To Treat Them
By Robert Thatcher

Many people are having problems with their weight. These weight problems are the results of a persons eating habits. In the United States, there are about 50 million of Americans are enroll weight loss programs. However, there are also people who wishes that they would have a lesser weight and resulted to suffering from eating disorders.

Eating disorders may be categorized as a psychiatric problem. Although many experts say that obesity is not truly a psychiatric problem, they consider that the state of being obese is also a form of eating disorders. Some people who are trying to lose weight may lead to the improper obsession of thinking of a person that his dieting becomes abnormal.

Another form of eating disorder is the anorexia nervosa. This form of eating disorder may happen to those people who may have a normal or a little above the average weight. These people think that their body is always overweight. This illness may begin to those who that have continuous diet regimens and eventually led to restraining the persons balanced eating.

Anorexia nervosa can be identified to most women that are teenagers and are in their early adult stages. Although it is not common to males and to older adults, it can also occur to these types of people. The known classic dieters do not eat any food in a day which lead them to starvation. The self-starvation of a person is the point where he suppresses hunger sensations, which may lead an individual to become skeletal in appearance. These individuals are considered anorexic by type because they suffer from phobia on gaining weight.

Bulimia can be truly associated to many dieters especially to those individuals aged 17 to 25 years old. The process of bingeing and purging of most bulimics can make an individual addicted on what he has started in his diet regimen. Most of the time a person can no longer control the binge and spurge cycle that and led a person to be underweight and or even obese. However, most bulimics appear to be normal and have a normal body weight. Most of the time, the process in which they do their dieting is kept to themselves because most bulimics are shameful of their activities of bingeing and purging.

There are side effects an individual may suffer from for being bulimic especially for women that are actively in this process of dieting. An irregular menstrual cycle may occur to some women and the decrease of sexual interest may be experienced. Most bulimics have disturbing behavior on whatever things they would like to do. There are instances where bulimics have tendencies to be drug addicts and alcoholic. Some of which have records of shoplifting and other cases that are associated in such acts.

There are some different approaches on how to treat these forms of disorders. These ways may help bring back the proper eating and correct way to have a balanced diet. A well-known stage for bulimics could return the right eating pattern by not practicing the activity of bingeing and purging. They are able to control the incorrect dieting behavior on the diet regimen.

A consultative approach that would be advisable to those bulimics and anorexic is the therapy program. Many of the patients have been found to cooperate well and let themselves to be educated in psycho educational programs that will give them the information on the illness.

Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides eating disorder resources on http://www.about-eating-disorder.info

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Eating Disorders Anorexia Nervosa Effects

Eating Disorders - Anorexia Nervosa Effects
By Michael Russell

In this next article in our continuing series we're going to discuss the effects of Anorexia Nervosa on a person, as well as going over some facts and figures.

The main assault of this disease is that it focuses on self starvation. Since the body needs food as a basic means for survival, the effects of this disease are numerous to say the least. Because the body is not getting enough nutrition, it is forced to slow down in order to compensate for this. This slowing down can have serious consequences on a person's body.

There are a number of health consequences from Anorexia Nervosa. The main ones are as follows:

1. People suffering from this disease, after an extended period of time, suffer from an abnormally slow heart rate and very low blood pressure. This causes the heart muscle itself to change. The chance of heart failure rises as heart rate and blood pressure decrease.

2. Because of the lack of calcium in a person's diet, since they are not getting enough food in general, there is a great risk of reduced bone density, which is known as osteoporosis. This results in very dry and brittle bones which makes them very susceptible to breaking.

3. Again, because of the lack of nutrition, a person suffering from this disease will suffer from muscle weakness and potential muscle loss. This can lead to more serious muscular disorders.

4. Most people who suffer from this disease not only don't eat enough but also don't even drink enough water. This can result in severe dehydration which can ultimately lead to kidney failure.

5. Less serious symptoms, but certainly cause for concern, are overall weakness including fatigue and fainting, which in itself can be dangerous when behind the wheel of a car.

6. People suffering from this disease also suffer from thin and dry hair. Hair loss is very common.

7. Because of the overall deterioration of the body, a covering of hair begins to grow over the body in an effort to keep the body warm.

And now a few statistics about this disease that you may or may not be aware of.

a. About 90-95% of the people who suffer from this disease are women, most of them young girls.

b. About 1% of all American women suffer from Anorexia Nervosa.

c. Of all the psychiatric disorders, Anorexia Nervosa is the most common diagnosed in women in general.

d. The mortality rate of people suffering from Anorexia Nervosa is between 5 and 20%. The probability of death increases with the length of time the person has been suffering from the disease.

e. Anorexia Nervosa has one of the highest rates of death of all mental disorders.

f. The disease itself usually shows itself in early to mid adolescence.

The treatments for this disease are similar to the treatments for Bulimia. It is important that immediate psychiatric help is gotten for the sufferer. The quicker the diagnosis and treatment the greater the chance for survival.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Eating Disorders
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Eating Disorders: A Teenager Needs Advice

Eating Disorders: A Teenager Needs Advice
By Dr. Jennifer Sowle

Dear Dr. Sowle

I am 16 years old and I think I think I have an eating disorder. My mom loves me very much andshe's always supported me in my dream to be a model. Ever since I can remember, my momhas tried to help me find the right clothes, talk right, and get exercise and eat in ahealthy way. Up until this year, I really thought I wanted to be a model, but now I'min my junior year of high school and I think I want to go to college to be a teacher ormaybe join the Peace Corps. I've never had a boyfriend before and now I'm going with Tim who thinks I'm beautiful whether I wear makeup or not. In fact, he says helikes the atural look. I've stopped wearing so much makeup and I've been eatingmore when I go out with Tim.

It was Tim who noticed that I hardly eat anything when I'm out. He wonders if I have a problem. His sister had anorexia and had to go away to a treatment place. He's worried about me. I'm trying to show him that I don't have anorexia like his sister, but now I feel terrible because I've been throwing up since I was 13. I feel like I should tell him, but I don't want to lose him. My mom is mad because she says I look errible and thatI'm letting myself go. I have gained a little bit of weight and Tim thinks I lookpretty. My mom keeps asking me if I'm exercising. She made a deal with me that I couldgo out more if I exercise and stop eating sweets. She had some chocolates hidden up inthe pantry and I got into them and ate some, and she found out and was really mad.

Tim is really nice and is popular and studies and is planning to go to college.His parents go to our church and are really nice too. Now my mom says I'm spendingtoo much time with Tim and wants me to limit it to once every two weeks. I don't understand why she's so mad.

I think I have bulimia. What should I do? I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings,especially my mom, but I think she's too much in my business. Everyday when I gethome, she asks about what this girl said, or that girl said. She wants to knoweverything Tim says and then gets mad when I tell her. Maybe I should just break upwith Tim so he doesn't get hurt.

Marcie

Dear Marcie:
Yes, I certainly think you do have Bulimia Nervosa. You can check the specific symptomshere on the website. If you are vomiting after you eat as part of trying to control your weight, you have a problem. It is very important for you to get help with this right away.

Up until recently, your mother has been totally in charge of your decisions. She decideswhat you should wear, eat, and do. She is way too involved and way too controlling.Part of the clinical picture for a Bulimic is an overinvolved mother. Your mother needsto get therapy to help her find a more healthy way of relating to a teenage daughter. Perhapsshe could be a part of your therapy at some point. It appears that your mother has revolved her life around you and that isn't good. She may even be trying to live her life vicariously through you. Because of this, if you don't do as she expects, she becomes frustrated and angry, and tries anything to get you back under her control. She is going to try to break up your relationship with Tim because hehas an influence on you that is running contrary to hers. I know this sounds harsh, but somebody has to say it....your mother needs to back off and let you be who you want to be.Hopefully, you will go away to college and at least create some physical distance with yourmother.

Because you have this enmeshed (too close) relationship with your mother, you have neverdeveloped an internal guide to help you make your own decisions. Now that you have Timin your life, you're now trying to please him too. The stress of being caught betweenthe needs of these two powerful people in your life could make your eating disorder worse.As strange as this seems, your eating disorder gives you a sense of control. Even thoughyou feel out of control when you're in it, it is the one thing you do have control over.This does sound strange, and that's why you need to get into therapy with somebody whounderstands the complexities of this condition. Even if you attach yourself to the therapist for awhile and try to please her, at least you will have the influence ofsomebody who has your best interests at heart. Eventually, however, the purpose of the therapy is to help you find your own inner voice which tells you what you need andwant. My guess is that you have anxiety about being perfect and not making mistakes.You mentioned that Tim is your first boyfriend and he's probably the first person outsidethe family who has had a different opinion. This can throw you into quite a turmoilon a very deep level. Depression and anxiety are probably part of what you are experiencingright now.

Check with your school and see if they can help get you a referral to a therapistor eating disorder group facilitated by a professional. The school counselor could also bea valuable mediator in approaching your mother about getting help. She will be very threatened by your seeking therapy. She will be afraid the therapist will blame her andI'm not sure her ego strength is that solid. Whatever you do, do not take responsibilityfor the feelings of these loved ones. It is up to them to deal with their own feelings.It's your job to focus on yourself so that you can begin to recover from this eating disorder.
Dr. Sowle

Jennifer J. Sowle, PhD is a Licensed Psychologist and Licensed Marriage and FamilyTherapist. She is also an AASECT Certified Sex Educator and Sex Therapist. Dr.Sowle has a private psychological practice in Northern Michigan.

Dr. Sowles website, http://here-to-listen.com, is an informational site which explorespsychological issues like: Depression, Anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, andEating Disorders. She also gives information on Relationships, such as conflictresolution, managing family finances, communication techniques, divorce, parenting,and sexuality. She helps in talking to your children about sex and sexual abuse andalso addresses stress, anger management, and gay and lesbian issues.

Two regular features: Ask Dr. J. and Can This Relationship Be Saved? changefrequently. The Advice Blog keeps you up to date on these changing features andgives a heads up to new information coming up on the site.

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Eating Disorders Don't Discriminate

Eating Disorders - Don't Discriminate
By Paul R. J. Smith

Eating disorders, such as anorexia, binge-eating, and bulimia, are characterized by an individual displaying extreme behaviors and attitudes about their weight and food issues.

Many feel that eating disorders are common in young girls who have developed these issues through their pubescent years. This, however, is incorrect thinking.

The fact is eating disorders do not discriminate and can be developed by both males and females, as well as those of all ages and races. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 5-15% of individuals that have been diagnosed with an eating disorder and approximately 35% of those diagnosed with binge-eating disorder are male.

While it may be considered more common for females to be diagnosed with eating disorders, males of all ages are being diagnosed, as well. According to research, the two main risk factors for males is their exercise status and their sexual orientation. The media plays a large part on how males, as well as females, think of their own bodies.

Eating disorders do not discriminate on the basis of age, either. While eating disorders seem to be more common in young females, the fact is eating disorders can affect those in their elderly years, as well. More treatment centers are beginning to see women in the fifties and beyond and the unfortunate issue with eating disorders in the elderly is they become more deadly.

Ten years ago a study done by the University of British Columbia concluded that 78 percent of deaths related to anorexia nervosa were that of older people. These eating orders also do not discriminate against race, either.

Many may feel that eating disorders are more common in young, white females. Eating disorders, however, affect people of all races. Research shows that women and men of all races are susceptible to eating disorders and in some countries, such as Argentina, the amount of individuals with eating disorders are three times greater than the United States.

The main stigma attached to eating disorders is that they mostly affect upper or middle class white women. The fact is eating disorders can affect any one and they do not discriminate.

Anybody can develop these mental illnesses. Eating disorders affect those from all socioeconomic groups, as well as all ethnic and cultural groups. Unfortunately, eating disorders are often misdiagnosed, are greatly misunderstood by society, and are becoming a problem for many all over the world.

Copyright 2006 Anorexiasurvivalguide.com

Are you or a loved one suffering from Anorexia or Bulima? Then Anorexiasurvivalguide.com is a must visit - here we cover all areas of this awful condition and a whole lot more. Anorexia & Bulimia Survival Guide

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Eating Disorders How To Prevent Them

Eating Disorders - How To Prevent Them
By Michael Russell

In this article in our continuing series on eating disorders we're going to concentrate on how to prevent an eating disorder from ever starting in the first place.

There are a number of things someone can do to see that they never fall into the trap of dealing with an eating disorder.

The most important thing a person can do is get educated. Learn everything there is to know about Anorexia, Bulimia, and binge eating disorders. Awareness of these diseases will help you make informed decisions about what constitutes proper food intake and what your body should look like for your height and bone structure.

Get the idea out of your head that diet and the way your body will ultimate look will lead to happiness. There is more to being happy than just looks. This helps build self esteem.

Challenge the ideas that weight loss and being thin are great and anything to do with fat is a bad thing. Naturally you don't want to eat to the point of obesity. But you do want to strike a balance between the two.

Try not to categorize foods as being either good or bad, fattening or slimming. Try to remember that we need a balanced diet in our lives.

Don't judge others and yourself by their appearance of being either fat or thin. It's what's inside a person that counts. Look beyond the physical appearance.

Try to avoid the feeling that people will like you better if you lose weight. Remember that your friends are your friends and will like you no matter what you look like.

Become critical of the media and their messages that in order to be popular you need to be thin. If you see one of these ads, yell back at the TV. If you see one of these ads in print, write to the editor. Don't let the media beat you.

If you think someone has an eating disorder confront them in a personal caring manner. Show them your concern without being judgmental. Offer them support as someone they can speak to.

Most of all, be a model of self esteem and body image. Carry yourself in such a way that others will notice and respect you, regardless of how heavy or thin you may or may not be. Talk about yourself with confidence in a manner that commands respect and appreciation. Value yourself based on your goals, what you've achieved, your talents and your character. Avoid the way you feel about your body weight becoming the main focus and the ruler of your day. Realize that everyone has a different body and shape and regardless of that shape everyone has value, not based on their looks.

Finally, support local organizations and non profit eating disorder associations by making donations or volunteering your time. Your donations may someday lead to a cure for these type of illnesses.

Hopefully, by doing all of the above, you can prevent someone you care about, especially yourself, from falling victim to one of these terrible diseases.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Eating Disorders
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Eating Disorders Mens Sans Corpore Sans

Eating Disorders - Mens Sans, Corpore Sans
By Michael Russell

An eating disorder is a mental illness in which the affected person eats in an unusual and unhealthy way. This ends up in affecting health. The eating may either be excessive, insufficient, or wrong choices of diet. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are the two most common eating disorders. Anorexic people eat very little to nothing, and bulimic people have enormous eating binges and then vomit up the food. People with eating disorders sometimes have both disorders.

Most ill people have severe mental depression along with their eating disorder. Orthorexia is also considered an eating disorder. Orthorexia is when a person is overly obsessed with what the ight food to eat is, so they end up eating too much Vegan food, raw food, etc., and become nutritionally unbalanced. A bizarre yet not unusual eating disorder is Pica, in which the ill person consumes what is not generally considered food, such as hair, wood, glass, metal or rubber.

The Purging disorder is when a person takes laxatives and vomits excessively without having eating binges. This person usually wants to maintain a certain amount of weight and not gain any more. Scientists suspect that more people have the Purging disorder than anorexia and bulimia combined.

The physical symptoms of a person with an eating disorder can vary, but they are all equally deadly. Starvation caused by Anorexia Nervosa can make most of the organ systems defective. Along with that comes constipation, very low heart rate, dry skin, hypotension, body hair can become thinner, and periods can became scarce or simply not come. Anorexia causes cardiovascular problems, anaemia, brain structure modification, juvenile osteoporosis and kidney dysfunction.

Bulimia and other eating disorders that involve vomiting can cause salivary glands to swell, the tooth enamel to erode, and disturbances to electrolytes and minerals. The Purging disorder, along with the abusive use of laxatives, can bring a long period of bowel dysfunction. Esophagus tearing, stomach ruptures, and deadly irregularities of the heart beat derived from these disorders are other complications that may result.

It is usually difficult to tell when a person suffers from an eating disorder by simply looking at them. They might be people just a little overweight, they can be of normal weight, they can be very thin, they can be very obese. Judging by the appearance of someone with an eating disorder can be very misleading, for their physical appearance might not correspond to their real health.

Eating disorder treatment, nevertheless, can be very effective and the person can go back to normal if they follow the treatment until the end. The sooner the patient is detected as suffering from an eating disorder, the more effective the treatment will be. Yet, the mental complications of a person with such mental illness can lead to thorough psychological and psychiatric treatment in the long run. Anorexia treatment follows three basic steps: 1) restore the weight lost, 2) psychological treatment, 3) achieve long-term remission. Bulimia treatment is first concerned with ending eating binges and purging. In order to do this, nutritional rehab, psychosocial intervention, and medication are all used.

Even though there are many effective ways of treating eating disorders, the most difficult step is the first one: admit that you have an eating disorder. If the person who suffers from an eating disorder does not recognize their illness, treatment will not be effective because they will resist it. So, the most important thing while approaching an anorexic or bulimic is to maintain personal contact and to be open-hearted so they can feel as comfortable as they can to talk about their problems.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Eating Disorders
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Soccer Fitness How To Prevent Eating Disorders

Soccer Fitness - How To Prevent Eating Disorders
By Andre Botelho

Coaches need to seriously look into eating disorder in soccer fitness. Here are some of the tips that can prove valuable in preventing eating disorders in your champion players.

Recognize The Signs And Symptoms Of Eating Disorders

An expert coach knows that when the players are facing eating disorders, they often try to hide their symptoms to avoid calling attention to them.

Therefore, you must be capable enough to instruct coaches and trainers to recognize the signs and symptoms of eating disorders and understand their role in helping to prevent them.

Providing Accurate Information

Providing accurate information to the players regarding weight, weight loss, body composition, nutrition and sports performance is very important and every coach should learn to do that with perfection.

This will not only reduce misinformation but doing so will also challenge practices that are unhealthy and even counterproductive. Again, it is also important for the coaches to be aware of local professionals who will help educate the players.

Emphasize The Health Risks

Another important thing in this regard is that the coaches must learn to emphasize the health risks associated with low weight, especially for female players with menstrual irregularities or Amenorrhea. If you find any such case, you should refer the player for medical assessment.

Revering To A Sports Psychologist

If a player is chronically dieting or he exhibits mildly abnormal eating, it is always prudent for the coaches to refer to a sports psychologist or other therapist skilled at treating eating disorders.

The likelihood of successful treatment increases if the problem is detected at an early stage. On the other hand, if the problem is left untreated, it may eventually progress to an eating disorder.

Focus On Other Areas

Most coaches do the mistake that emphasize weight by weighing athletes and by maximizing comments about weight. This is not good. Instead, the coaches should focus on other areas in which players have more control in order to improve performance, such as focus on strength and physical conditioning.

Preventing Eating Disorders is an important element in soccer fitness and no coach should overlook this issue.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andre Botelho is a recognized authority on the subject of soccer fitness.
His web site, Teaching Youth Soccer Training Drills, provides a wealth of informative soccer articles,
resources and tips for soccer coaches, parents and players.

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Eating Disorders

Eating Disorders
By Michael Russell

If you know of someone that is enduring an eating disorder, there is help for such individuals. An eating disorder can be dangerous and it can ultimately lead to poor health and death. There are three primary eating disorders, Anorexia, Bulimia, and Overeating. Although the latter is rarely viewed as an eating disorder, but because overeating can lead to dangerous health effects, it too must be counted among eating disorders.

Anorexia is a disease in which the victim starves themselves. The starvation is brought on by an extremely poor body image and the person, although they are in no way overweight, believes themselves to be fat. In a continued effort to lose weight, a victim of Anorexia will go on a starvation diet, depriving themselves of all the nourishment a healthy body requires. They will also induce vomiting when forced to eat, begin strange and overly cumbersome exercise regimens and most of all, will lie and hide their actions from others. The reason an individual with Anorexia will lie is because the disease makes them desire the thinnest body possible and they will do whatever they have to to keep thin.

Anorexia is a disorder that affects both males and females, although it is more commonly reported in females. The symptoms of Anorexia can be revealed in the sudden appearance of dramatic weight loss, brittle hair, extremely dry skin from lack of nourishment, the individual partaking in bizarre eating habits (like counting how many times they chew their food), and a poor image of the self.

Bulimia, a cousin to Anorexia, is the result of a poor body image. Yet, with Bulimia the victim will eat massive amounts of food and then work feverishly to rid the body of the food that has been ingested. Bulimia victims will use laxatives, will induce vomiting and will abuse diuretics, all to rid themselves of the food or drink they have taken in. Like Anorexia, Bulimia is extremely dangerous and can eventually result in death. The imbalances created within the body from binging and purging can ultimately affect the heart of the victim, the esophagus can be damaged or ruptured from repeated acts of vomiting, and the enamel can erode from the victim's teeth because of repeated vomiting.

Overeating is also a disorder. Some people engage in overeating as a way to quell emotions they have difficulty dealing with while other individuals may overeat because of an addiction to certain foods. Obviously, overeating can result in weight gain and significant weight gain has consequences of its own. For example, high blood pressure, heart trouble, diabetes, and respiratory problem can be caused by obesity.

There are associations aimed at battling disorders that evolve from issues with eating. Such organizations aim to educate the public about the different disorders that exist, the symptoms associated with such disorders and what steps should be taken to help people with disorders that have evolved from food issues. Thus, there is help available for individuals in need and the sooner the victims of such disorders get the help they need, the better off they will be.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Eating Disorders
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Treating Anxiety Disorders : Will Medication Really Work ?

Treating Anxiety Disorders : Will Medication Really Work ?
By Christopher Ruane

At certain times in your life, you might have been plagued with worries or anxious. It might have been in the wake of beginning a marriage, starting a new career, or caring for a sick child. The worry might have affected you not only emotionally but physically as well.

You might have experienced feelings of uneasiness, faintness, or breathing troubles.There are degrees of severity when it comes to anxiety. For instance, it can be mild, lasting only a day or two, or severe, lasting an entire month.You might experience generalized anxiety disorder or something more specific such as phobias, panic, or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Anxiety might be treated with an anti-depressant or an anti-anxiety medication. Generally speaking, there are three categories of anti-depressants: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs; tricyclics; and monoamine oxidase inhibitors or MAOIs. SSRIs include Paxil, Prozac, and Zoloft.

These anti-depressants often have fewer side-effects than the older generation of anti-depressants. Initially, you might feel nervous taking SSRIs, but the feeling often disappears after a few weeks. One of the most important side-effects of these drugs is sexual dysfunction, which can often be corrected by changing the dosages.

Tricyclics tend to have side effects such as sleepiness, dizziness, and weight gain. They are older than the SSRIs, so there has been more research conducted on them. Meanwhile, MAOIs can cause a reaction if mixed with certain foods and drinks, such as cheese and wine. These reactions can include increased blood pressure and other life-threatening problems.

Side-effects of anti-anxiety medications include fatigue, confusion, or drowsiness. The medications may be taken two or three times a day or just when needed. Dosage starts low then increases until symptoms disappear. The amount of medication prescribed varies according to symptoms and a persons body chemistry.

Doctors generally believe that you should not drink alcohol while taking anti-anxiety medication because the combination can create a life-threatening situation.

Because the medication can lead to dependence, the drugs are usually prescribed for only days or weeks at a time. In fact, a user might be directed to take the medication only when symptoms of anxiety occur. In some cases, individuals suffering from anxiety may need treatment for an extended period of time.

If you begin taking anti-anxiety medication, it is important that you stay on it until the doctor recommends that you stop taking it. If you stop abruptly, you may experience anxiety, dizziness, or loss of appetite. Common forms of anxiety medication include Valium, Ativan, and Xanax.

At times, physicians may prescribe beta-blockers to combat anxiety. While beta-blockers such as propanolol may be used to deal with heart damage, they have also emerged as an effective treatment for social anxiety.

If you face a stressful situation, such as a job interview, your physician may give you a beta-blocker that can keep your palms from sweating, your head from swelling, and treat other symptoms of anxiety.

There are certain steps you should take before you begin a drug regimen for anxiety. For instance, you should do your homework on the drug. Find out what side-effects it causes, and determine whether you can live with those side-effects.

Also, youll need to inform your doctor of any over-the-counter medications you are using. Be sure to find out how long you will have to take the drug. You should realize that if you decide to stop taking the drug, you could find symptoms of anxiety reappearing.

If youve been diagnosed with anxiety, it can be a daunting experience. You may not know where to go or who to turn to. While many types of anxiety medications can lead to side-effects, many people report good experiences, particularly with SSRIs. Working closely with your doctor, you can find the medication thats appropriate for you.

However, you should know that medication may be only one part of the treatment goal. You may also need to participate in talking therapy or join a support group in order to alleviate your symptoms. Do not dismiss this lightly.If your condition is manageable it helps.

The good news is that the prognosis is good for those whove been diagnosed with anxiety early.If left untreated in the more serious chronic condition, then the outcome could be poorer.

For more related information visit: http://www.AnxietyAttacksCure.com - a site that offers advice for avoiding, coping with anxiety and panic attacks. Get professional knowledge on dealing with symptoms, drug side effects and improving your life!

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Eating Disorders in Children

Eating Disorders in Children
By Rexanne Mancini

If I had a dollar for every time I persuaded a girl of 8 or 9 that they were not, in fact, fat, Id be considerably richer. When my older daughter was about that age, their mothers were putting a lot of her friends on diets. It drove me absolutely crazy to see these poor little girls, worrying about their tummies or fat that wasnt even evident, except to a mother who was hoping for a super model-skinny pre-pubescent child, which is ridiculous. When they were at my house, they ate well, I wouldnt allow them to drink or eat anything diet and I encouraged them to eat healthy food that would strengthen their bodies and bones. I also tried to assure them that they were not fat; that they would grow into their bodies and they were absolutely beautiful just the way they were. With that came some nutritional education about eating a healthy combination of foods that would not make them fat, but strong and naturally slender.

Parents, at around age 8 and 9, children can be short and plump. Once they gain height, their bodies balance out and grow longer, thus eliminating the storage of baby fat all in one or two places. If you are in doubt, please consult your childs pediatrician and whatever you do, dont even think about saying the word fat when talking to and about your child.

Using food as a reward or punishment is equally damaging and can lead to eating disorders that swing either toward over-eating or under-eating. Think about what you are saying to your child when you either withhold food as punishment or offer unhealthy food as a reward.

I see these same kids who were labeled fat and fed diet foods and drinks at very early ages, now in their mid-teens. Most of them are svelte and downright skinny. Unfortunately, quite a few of them are skinny by indulging in horrible habits, such as starving themselves or inducing vomiting after every meal. These kids, girls mostly, are so obsessed with being skinny theyll do anything to shed pounds or not put any on. Most of them survive on diet soda, which scares me more than obesity. Diet soda contains artificial sweeteners, which are extremely toxic and are now known to cause many potentially deadly ailments, especially after having been consumed for years.

Eating disorders are almost as common as acne in teenagers today. These can create many health problems, not the least of which is potential death. Try telling a 15 year-old girl that she is not fat after her mother or both parents have been urging her to diet from the time she was old enough to dress herself.

Bulimia, which is the act of inducing vomiting after eating to maintain ones size or to lose weight, creates horrible health problems of its own, including rapidly deteriorating teeth because the stomach acids retched up on a daily basis destroy tooth enamel faster than sugar ever could. We know children who are fainting and breaking limbs as a result of undernourishment, children who have developed severe tooth decay from bouts of bulimia and children whos self-esteem is so damaged that no matter how much weight they manage to drop, they still see themselves as fat and unattractive. These are not even just average looking kids. Most of these children are amazingly beautiful specimens of humankind. Go figure

Another potentially harmful age to mention the fat word is right before or when puberty hits. Girls bodies will change, apparently overnight and the slender little child you held in your arms a month ago will have developed budding breasts and a rounder behind. This can be startling and you might assume your little girl is getting fat. I assure you, she is not. She is merely developing and maturing naturally. This would be a good time to have a talk with your daughter about menstruation, as it is right around the corner and she will be much better served if she is prepared and aware of what to expect.

If you are concerned that your child is indeed overweight, talk to the pediatrician and try to insure that your child eats a healthy, well-balanced diet. Children will naturally eat bread, chips, cakes, cookies, ice cream and drink soda if left to their own devices when hunger or thirst strikes. All of these will pack on unnecessary pounds and should be minimally incorporated into a healthy diet consisting of protein, lots of fresh vegetables, fruit and purified drinking water. Soda is something I do not offer my children and is a major contributor to many people being overweight. The amount of sugar in one can of soda rivals that of a good-sized candy bar. It is not healthy for anyone. Diet soda, in my opinion, is even more detrimental.

Eating disorders are dangerous and should be taken seriously, whether your child is trying to loose pounds unnecessarily or needs to actually loose weight for health concerns. Always maintain a dialogue with your childs pediatrician and discuss any and all concerns with the doctor on the telephone, before your child is within earshot in the examining room with you.

Children will take any remark we make about their bodies seriously and as parents, we should strive to fortify healthy self acceptance in our kids. If your child does, indeed, have a weight problem, help him understand the value of good nutrition and exercise. Help her understand that she is beautiful and that a healthy body is a perfect body, no matter what shape or size. If you are a parent struggling with a weight issue, please do not project your anxiety onto your child and be careful to monitor your children's eating and exercise habits while also watching for any signs of an eating disorder, which could manifest as a compulsion with weight loss or an obsession with unhealthy snacking. Be gentle and non-alarming if you feel it's necessary to restrict your child's consumption of junk food. Teaching children to fear their food is not any healthier than allowing them open reign in the junk food aisle of the market. Moderation is always key in healthy eating habits and if learned early, will serve them well all their lives.

C) Rexanne Mancini - 2005

Rexanne Mancini is the mother of two daughters, Justice and Liberty. She is a novelist, freelance writer and maintains an extensive yet informal parenting and family web site, Rexanne.com http://www.rexanne.com -Visit her site for good advice, award-winning Internet holiday pages and some humor to help you cope. Subscribe to her newsletter, Rexannes Web Review, for a monthly dose of Rexanne: http://www.rexanne.com/rwr-archives.html

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Dangers of Eating Disorders Anorexia Nervosa

Dangers of Eating Disorders - Anorexia Nervosa
By Groshan Fabiola

Many people are suffering from eating disorders these days. The most common eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa (anorexia) and Bulimia Nervosa (bulimia). Both are very dangerous eating disorders that may even cause death. Eating disorders usually occur on the background of emotional instability, confusion, loneliness, depression and low-self esteem.

Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by unusual behaviors related to food consumption, the refuse of keeping a body weight appropriate to ones physical build, age and sex, the development of obsessions regarding food and weight and a false perception of ones body image. People with Anorexia Nervosa are always preoccupied with their physical appearance, carefully weighing their meals and counting the calories they consume. Although people with Anorexia Nervosa sustain constant efforts to lose weight by following drastic diets and exercising excessively, they are never pleased with their accomplishments, always aiming to lose even more weight. Persons with Anorexia Nervosa, despite being underweight, may actually see themselves as fat.

There are two kinds of Anorexia Nervosa: the restrictive and the compulsive kind. People who suffer from Restrictive Anorexia Nervosa usually have a very low body weight. They indulge in acts of self-starvation and also tend to burn the little food they eat through physical exercise, in order to lose weight. Compulsive Anorexia Nervosa, also referred to as Binge and Purge Anorexia, resembles the symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa. Bulimia is characterized by the consumption of large amounts of food and then getting rid of it by purging it from the system. Just like in the case of Bulimia Nervosa, Compulsive Anorexia Nervosa implies and alternation in eating habits, people suffering from it fluctuating between periods of scarce eating or abstinence from food and periods of binge-eating and purging.

The persons with this kind of Anorexia Nervosa purge the food out of their bodies by vomiting or by taking laxatives and diuretics. They also tire themselves through long, sustained physical exercise in order to lose weight. Unlike people with Restrictive Anorexia Nervosa, the ones confronted with the second type of disorder arent always underweight. People with Binge and Purge Anorexia experience a lot of changes in their body weight. They resemble bulimics in physical appearance and behavior.

Actually, Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa have a lot of things in common and in fact, people who suffer from Anorexia Nervosa may later become bulimics.

Anorexia Nervosa, just like other eating disorders causes a lot of harm to people affected by it. A very disturbing fact is that young people, especially adolescents are the most exposed to the development of eating disorders. Both sexes are susceptible to the threat of Anorexia Nervosa, but particularly girls and young women develop forms of Anorexia Nervosa, due to their constant preoccupation with looks.

The causes of eating disorders havent yet been determined. It is considered that Anorexia Nervosa is purely a mental condition. However, studies sustain that there are also physical factors involved in the development of the illness. Also, a disturbing fact reveals the hereditary character of eating disorders like Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa.

Looking for information on anorexia nervosa and other anorexia tips? Visit one of the best anorexia related sites.

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Eating Disorders Causes

Eating Disorders Causes
By Greg Culver

Eating disorders are not just about food and weight. Often, eating disorders will result from a series of long-standing behavioral, emotional, psychological, interpersonal, and social factors. People who have an eating disorder will use food as a way of being able to feel as though they have control on their daily lives. For many, the pain of a past or current event is too overwhelming to cope with and so an eating disorder can be a way of coping with the situation by feeling in control. However, this disease will, in fact, damage a person's physical and emotional health, self-esteem, and sense of competence and control.

There are numerous psychological factors that can contribute to an eating disorder. Some of these include feeling inadequate, depression, anxiety, anger and loneliness. All of these factors result in the person not feeling in control of their life.

From a personal and relationship standpoint, individuals may have difficulty expressing feelings and emotions, may have been bullied and teased and may have a history of physical or sexual abuse.

From a societal perspective it is important to note the impact that the media plays in influencing young people in regard to body shape and look. This pressure that teens feel to fit in with the right look can have a dramatic effect, resulting in an obsessive approach to appearance, weight, dieting, calories and so on.

The most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Scientists are currently examining a link between possible biochemical and biological causes of eating disorders. It has been found that in some individuals with eating disorders, the chemicals in the brain that control hunger, appetite and digestion have become imbalanced.

Eating disorders can become a destructive disease if not treated so if you suspect that a loved one is displaying any characteristics related to an eating disorder, seek professional help straight away. Research has shown that when dealt with early with intense treatment, eating disorders can be overcome. If left untreated, they can be fatal.

Greg Culver is the owner of http://www.eatingdisorderweb.com which is a comprehensive information portal dedicated to providing qualityinformation about eating disorders.

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Eating Disorders 101: An Introduction

Eating Disorders 101: An Introduction
By Kindy Peaslee

Research reports that two out of four young people have unhealthy ideas about eating, dieting and weight. With the alarming increase of eating disorders, dieting, and obesity among children as young as 5 and 6, it's crucial these days for parents to proactively work to promote healthy eating and body image in their children.

It has been found that in households where mom talks about feeling fat, 81% of their teenage daughters said they felt fat too. Our girls, especially, are being easily confused and influenced when it comes to body image development. In a culture where young people are bombarded with skinny, glossy, and superficial images, parents can be a mirror reflecting understanding, reassurance, wisdom, and love that their children can look into with faith and not fear. Many factors influence whether an adolescent will develop a positive or negative body image. As a parent, you can learn to be supportive the next time your child says, Mom, I feel fat or Mom, I hate my life, and be ready with an answer by saying, that sounds like an important feeling, tell me more.

The Slenderizing Beauty Ideal

Everyday 56% of the women in the United States are on diets. We have a 30-billion-dollar-a-year diet industry. The historical view of the ideal female body has changed over the years and influenced this dieting America. Although many factors contribute to the changing body shape of girls, including better nutrition, earlier onset of puberty and other societal influences. The fact remains that regardless of the reason, the common trend over time points to a slenderizing standard of the female ideal.With standards like this, it is no wonder that children are dissatisfied with their bodies.

When it came to looks teens are most concerned about weight. A Teen People survey of 1000 teens, showed that 39% worried about weight. Between 2000 and 2001, cosmetic surgery on girls 18 and younger had increased by 22%.

Another study reported that after girls viewed pictures of models in fashion magazines:

69% reported that magazine pictures influenced their idea of the perfect body shape and

47% reported wanting to lose weight because of magazine pictures.

This study found that those who were frequent readers of fashion magazines were 2-3 times more likely than infrequent readers to start dieting to lose weight because of a magazine article.

What Are Eating Disorders?

Is it any wonder, then, that eating disorders affect 7 million women and 1 million men in the United States? Eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder. People with anorexia starve themselves to dangerously thin levels, at least 15% below their appropriate weight. People with bulimia binge uncontrollably on large amounts of food--sometimes thousands of calories at a time--and then purge the calories out of their bodies through vomiting, starving, excessive exercise, laxatives, or other methods. People with binge-eating disorder eat uncontrollably, but they do not purge the calories.

Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified (or EDNOS) is a new classification of disordered eating that falls between anorexia, binge eating and bulimia. Unfortunately, since this type of 'sub-clinical' disorder is often not life-threatening, there appears to be little research available on the topic. One of the goals at FINDINGbalance.com, the first national organization dedicated to helping those who struggle with ENDOS, is to begin collecting new information through input from their website visitors and other existing sources. Visit the www.FINDINGbalance.com website to take the Weird Eater quiz and take a closer look at how dieting habits can lead to disordered eating.

Anorexia Warning Signs for Adolescents & Adults:
Loss of menstrual period
Dieting obsessively when not overweight
Claiming to feel fat when overweight is not a reality
Preoccupation with food, calories, nutrition, and/or cooking
Denial of hunger
Excessive exercising, being overly active
Frequent weighing
Strange food-related behaviors
Episodes of binge-eating
15% or more below normal body weight/rapid weight loss
Depression
Slowness of thought/memory difficulties
Hair loss

* In children any combination of these symptoms should be considered serious and an immediate evaluation by an eating disorder professional or physician is recommended.

Source: www.remudaranch.com

Bulimia Warning Signs:
Excessive concern about weight
Strict dieting followed by eating binges
Frequent overeating, especially when distressed
Bingeing on high calorie, sweet foods
Use of laxatives, diuretics, strict dieting, vigorous exercise, and/or vomiting to control weight
Leaving for the bathroom after meals
Being secretive about binges or vomiting
Planning binges or opportunities to binge
Feeling out of control
Depressive moods

Source: www.remudaranch.com

EDNOS Warning Signs:
You're always on a diet, always coming off a diet, or always getting ready to go on one again (chronic dieting).
You categorize foods as 'safe' and 'off limits', but weigh within normal ranges and are not participating in bulimia.
You eliminate entire food groups from your diet.
You are obsessed with exercising but eat fairly regularly.
You binge and/or purge occasionally, but not more than a few times a month.
You skip social occasions because you feel fat, or because you are afraid of what's being served, yet your weight is normal.
You believe that everyone is as focused on your weight as you are.
You refuse to eat regular meals, choosing instead to 'nibble' throughout the day on small portions of food (which usually leads to bingeing).

Source: www.findingbalance.com

How Common Are Eating Disorders?

Eating disorders are serious illnesses. The malnourishment of both anorexia and bulimia affects the body rapidly and can lead to hypoglycemia, pancreatitis, enlargement of the heart, heart attacks, congestive heart failure, permanent brain shrinkage with loss of memory and IQ, infertility, and osteoporosis. It is not uncommon for a teenage girl with anorexia to have the bones of an 80 year old woman. The condition is not reversible. Ultimately, approximately, 6% of people with anorexia and 1% with bulimia will die from their eating disorder.

According to Remuda Ranch, an inpatient eating disorder treatment center in Arizona, estimates indicate that 1/3 of American women and 15% of men will have an eating disorder or related problem at some time in their lives. Fifty years ago, eating disorders were practically unheard of. Research suggest a strong genetic component to eating disorders. People who are prone to perfectionism and low self-esteem may be most at risk.

In todays world, the cultural pressures for young people to obtain and maintain super-thin bodies are extreme. In this environment, thinness readily becomes a way of dealing with many emotional issues. However, outcome studies have shown there is much hope for people with eating disorders. The good news is that approximately 75% of patients with eating disorders do recover.

How Can Parents Prevent Disordered Eating?

Parents can do much to spare their children a life-long struggle with eating and weight. One of the most important ways is to examine their own beliefs and prejudices as a parent about weight and appearance. Parents should communicate acceptance and respect for themselves and other people regardless of weight. This will reduce some of the pressure children may feel to change their bodies. Especially, discourage the idea that a particular diet or body size can reliably lead to happiness. Do not model or encourage dieting. Accept and talk about the fact that diets dont work and the dangers of altering ones body through dieting.

Tips For Healthy Eating

In our diet crazed culture, what really is healthy eating? Here are a few tips that will go a long way in feeding your family a balanced mealtime experience. For starters, teach your children to listen to their body -- eat when youre hungry, stop when youre full. Remember balance means that most of the time you eat because you are hungry and use food as fuel for your body. But, it also means that sometimes you eat simply when the food appeals to you or when it is appropriate in a social setting (e.g., popcorn at the movies), allowing yourself to eat for enjoyment.

Try to eat different foods everyday, in other words, create an adventure for your taste buds. Aim to inspire your family to eat 3 meals and 1 to 3 snacks a day. The idea that snacking between meals is bad is a thing of the past. By teaching your kids to eat every 2 to 4 hours, they will prevent their body from getting overly hungry which could set them up to overeat later. Plus, the body uses the fuel from food very efficiently when smaller amounts of food is eaten more frequently throughout the day.

The bottom line: eat normally, exercise moderately, and let your body weigh what it wants. Yes, it will take courage and perseverance, but the rewards of knowing you are teaching your family how to eat for pleasure is a true legacy to leave.

Resources

BOOKS

DeVillera, Julia. GirlWise. Roseville, California: Prima Publishing; 2002.

Gaesser, Glenn. Big Fat Lies: The Truth about Your Weight and Your Health. New York: Ballantine; 1996.

Hersh. Sharon A. Mom, I feel fat! Colorado Springs, Colorado: WaterBrook Press; 2001.

Hutchinson, Marcia. 200 Ways to Love the Body You Have. CA: Crossing Press; 1999.

Jacobs-Brumberg, Joan. The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls. NewYork: Random House; 1997.

Jantz, Gregory L. Hope, Help & Healing for Eating Disorders. Colorado Springs, Colorado: Waterbrook Press; 2002.

Omichinski, Linda. Staying off the Diet Roller Coaster: Advicezone.com; 2000.

Rhodes, Constance. Life Inside the Thin Cage. Colorado Springs. Colorado: Waterbrook Press; 2003.

Quart, Alissa. Branded: The Buying and Selling of Teenagers. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Perseus Books Group; 2003.

Tribole, Evelyn. Intuitive Eating: A Recovery Book for the Chronic Dieter. New York: St. Martin's Press; 1995.

WEBSITES AND PROGRAMS

HUGS
HUGS for Better Health website features resources on how to build a non-diet lifestyle. www.hugs.com

F.I.T Decisions
F.I.T (Future Identity of Teens) is a weekend conference for teenage girls to teach teens how to live healthful, balanced lives. Nationally-known speakers, drama skits, fashion shows, kick boxing, snacks, and give-aways are part of the all day workshop. www.fitdecisions.org

www.girlpower.gov
The US Department of Health and Human Services has sponsored, Girl Power!, a national public education campaign sponsored designed to provide positive messages, accurate health information, and support for 9- to 13-year-old girls. The website includes statistics, research, materials and information for both adolescents and adults. A free Girl Power! Kit can be ordered via the website.

www.4woman.gov
This site, the National Womens Health Information Center, is a project of the US Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Womens Health. Navigate to Body Image section of the website and you will find the Body Wise handbook and additional information, educational material and additional resources for parents and a variety of professions.

www.bodypositive.com
by D. Burgard, PhD
Videos and workshops that teach young people how to develop a positive body image and have a healthy relationship with food. A new video (2002) Body Talk 2: It's a New Language, is targeted at tweens (ages 8-11).

www.bulimia.com
Gurze Books which include tapes and resources on disordered eating and related topics on body image and obesity.

www.healthyweight.net
The Healthy Weight Network features a journal and Francis Berg's books, Children and Teens Afraid to Eat and other practical resources for educators and health professionals.

www.dhs.vic.gov.au/phd/ebhp/06bodyimage.htm
The Victorian Department of Human Services website has many resources including a summary of body image programs as well as a review of the research evaluating these programs. In addition, you will find a free Resource Planning Kit: Shape: Body Image Program Planning Guide.

www.nationaleatingdisorder.org
Provides many programs, books and materials and references (two items offered are listed below).

Remuda Ranch
www.remudaranch.com
Remuda Ranch is an eating disorder treatment center devoted to the unique needs of women and girls and integrate specialized therapies such as art, equine, body image, and movement program components as part of the recovery treatment.

Kindy Peaslee is a registered dietitian and wants to help your family learn how to identify food and beverage choices that contribute to healthy lifestyles. Look for her recipe Web site for parents, http://www.healthy-kid-recipes.com

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